SOLUTION: 16 workers can complete a piece of work in 30 days.After working for 10 days, 4 more workers joined. How many less days did the work take?

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Question 1144753: 16 workers can complete a piece of work in 30 days.After working for 10 days, 4 more workers joined. How many less days did the work take?
Found 2 solutions by richwmiller, ikleyn:
Answer by richwmiller(17219)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
I really hope that a teacher didn't write this problem.
The question at the end is terrible.
Someone doesn't know the difference between "less" and "fewer".
"Less" is used with non count nouns such as "rice" and "money".
"Fewer" is used with count nouns such as "pounds" and 'dollars"
For example, "She has less money and fewer dollars".
Answer by ikleyn(52756)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
16 workers can complete a piece of work in 30 days. After working for 10 days, 4 more workers joined.
How many fewer days did the work take?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

(1)  Since 16 men can do the job in 30 days, their rate of work is   part of job per 1 man per day.


(2)  After working for 10 hours, 16 men completed   =   of the job;

     hence,  1 -  =  remained to complete.


(3)  How many days will it take for 16+4 = 20 men to complete the remaining  {{2/3}}}  of the job ?

     Divide the remaining job by   = .  You will get

          remaining time =   =  = 2*8 = 16 days.


ANSWER.  16 days after 4 men joined.  

         Or, which is the same, 4 days fewer, comparing with the original schedule.


/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

When I see such question  "How many fewer days did the work take?",  I always ask myself  "how many fewer . . . comparing with  WHAT ?".

In this form,  "How many fewer days did the work take?",  the question is  UNCOMPLETED  (!)



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